General News
Nigeria can Overtake India in Software Development- Spann
Ken Spann is MD/CEO, WaveTek Nigeria limited, a company that aims at leveraging on its enterprise solutions to add value to the many enterprises, public sector and educational institutions among others in Nigeria and West Africa.
Spann bring his wealth of experience to bear on WaveTek Nigeria having garnered 11 years experience at the Microsoft Corporation at Microsoft Headquarters in Redmond, Washington, USA, with 3 out of those years spent in Nigeria as the Developer Platform Manager for West Africa.
Prior to his Microsoft years, Spann was a professor of Managerial Finance & Business Law & Ethics at the Keller Graduate School of Management in the United States.
He spoke to peter ugwu on issues around the establishment of WaveTek Nigeria.
Entrance into the Nigerian Market
It has been good. Everything is always about timing and to work in its season. I think this is the season for WaveTek to add value to Nigeria’s IT market.
I believe there is an explosion in the Nigerian IT market and based on the need for exposure of the economy to IT excellence, WaveTek is well-suited to meet these needs in business environments, education and governance which are our primary focus.
Motivation behind WaveTek
I worked with Microsoft for 11 years, and three of those years where in Nigeria as Microsoft Development Platform Manager for West Africa.
Coming to Nigeria in 2008, I saw there were a lot of needs for Microsoft applications and solutions to penetrate into the market at an appreciable rate; so I wanted to do more and cover more areas. Now we are focusing on applications and infrastructure.
We are also looking at educational solutions; trying to find ways to increase ICT capacity in educational sector such as ways to improve the scores in UTME and WAEC examinations.
We are succeeding with the cloud coming in place. Cloud and hosting computing is another area that WaveTek is largely focused on.
The bandwidth capacity in Nigeria is very large. It could probably be 10 terabits.
It is a lot of capacity. But we do not have the infrastructure to take it from the cable-end station to cities like Plateau, Kogi states, or simply the areas in Nigeria that are underserved. And if you look at the 20: 2020 plans, the Ministry of Communications ICT blue print, NITDA, NOTAP etc, they are concerned about the underserved areas hence WaveTek was founded with the vision to unleash the creative power of businesses and people to optimize their growth and development beyond space and time.
We promised Nigerians a new oscillation in the way ICT solutions are delivered to businesses in the areas of application integration and IT infrastructure; cloud and hosting services; education and bandwidth and last mile connectivity.
Our concern includes serving the underserved in terms of improved capacity.
When I say capacity can you watch YouTube with it buffing? If we can’t do that then something is not working at it perfect state.
So we want to work with partners, who agree with us that it is not how many megabytes without the infrastructure to make them useful to the users.
That is what Nigeria wants.
Inspite the challenges, we are looking at how we can bring tools, obtainable in other countries and corporation, to Nigeria.
The solution our sister company SIDMACH Technology is working on educational content.
We want to develop that by working with those that will, not just deliver the content but build the bandwidth.
WaveTek’s Stake in Building Educational Solutions
First of all, we are looking building education administration tools.
Can one go to any school today and get your child’s scripts online?
Can you register your courses easily?
So we are bringing what is called Education Information Management Systems (EDIMSs) to schools so that schools are managed in efficient and effective manner; track the students, track the grades, track the tests and the see the successes or order wise yourself.
Secondly, what is the content? I don’t believe that contents from US or India or elsewhere is the best for us; we can develop contents to suit our environment and need. Also, we are looking at teachers’ training.
The emphasis has been, ‘a laptop for every child’, how about laptop per teacher? How about teacher training?
So we are want to make sure that teachers are involved, because sometimes, students tend to know more about the computer more than the teachers. Some teachers are threatened because of their lack of ICT prowess.
We are currently doing a pilot programme for teachers in Lagos State and they appreciate it, because it has really exposed them to the proficiency of the IT; even if they leave teaching today, they are empowered to do something else and can not be intimidated in the society.
By teachers’ training, we are putting resources in place to help them improve on the teaching and life after the classroom.
Thirdly, we asked ourselves in WaveTek, what we can do to improve on the scores in WAEC and UTME examinations. Even, President Goodluck Jonathan recently emphasised on building ICT capacity in the country.
In view of that, WaveTek is in a strategic partnership with Microsoft to deliver Microsoft IT Academy; a powerful Web-based resource for both students and instructors that complements and extends classroom instruction.
It is designed in such a way that students can extend classroom instruction with online courseware, reference materials, group collaboration and mentoring.
We believe that Nigeria should become a knowledge based economy and society. ICT capacity building is at the core of that new society.
So, we chose the Microsoft IT Academy as the hub of capacity building efforts. In addition, we will offer rich solutions in eLearning to help the millions of students taking their National Exams each year to score higher through unique e-Learning tools.
Currently, the message is spreading, for instance, Ondo State Government has deployed this solution in some schools.
We are still discussing with Osun, Ekiti, Imo and other states to tap into the efficacies of this knowledge. Infact, they are passionate about education.
Enhancing Customer Capacity and Price Regime
When you look at it, it is less expensive to send bandwidth to UK or US than from Lagos to Abuja or Port Harcourt, because the transport prices are very high.
In order words, there is fiber in the ground and the cost of stretching it from Lagos to other cities is capital intensive.
Apart from that, when fiber cut takes place, businesses suffer. So, WaveTek has signed agreement with two major companies to represent their products in Africa.
We believe we can build a Hybrid-network; from fiber to wireless. It goes to show we can grow the capacity without laying fibers.
It has the same high capacity as fiber; far less cost and time.
We can link up one gigabyte up to six to seven kilometers, but to lay seven kilometer fiber will take you months; by the time you look out for the details, sorting out the ‘Right of Way’, the digging, among others.
The vision is not far from the quest of the Federal Government; however, what government needs to do is to create an enabling environment for broadband infrastructure and penetration.
Broadband can help drive the country’s economic structure. Now that the power is getting better, if that should be maintained, have broadband and ICT experts in place investments will come.
During a recent summit in US which was well attended by the Nigerian Legislators, the US EXIM bank expressed their willingness to help sponsor companies that will acquire infrastructure.
So, when the infrastructures are there and the environment is conducive, definitely the cost of getting infrastructure like bandwidth to our homes and offices will be less. And it will also rob off on other areas like agriculture.
5 Million Phones for Women Farmers and Place of ICT in Agriculture
Phones these days are computers. So, if he will be giving out five million phones, is like giving out five million computers.
Smartphone today has more computing power.
It not just about giving the women phones, there are other benefits accruable.
Now, Nigerian software developers can develop solutions for them. As the phones get into the hands of nursing mothers, we can use that to track them and get information on how to reduce child mortality rate.
As they are farming we can get information on crops.
We can send them information on whether and market conditions.
So, I think that is a smart strategy, because that is power that will be put in their hands. In fact, there is no limitation to how technology can be utilised.
Barely, 12 years ago, the global announcement was forget about Nigerians they don’t have money to buy Cell phones, neither can they afford the service, but that is not true.
Even in the village, old women now use phones, talking to their children in UK and other parts of the world. Therefore, phones are powerful devices for generating and disseminating information.
Assessment of Nigeria ICT Market
Yes, Nigeria’s ICT market is ready for competition. What we require now is to have a last mile connectivity and bandwidth.
WaveTek believes that with the dawn of various submarine cable operators in Nigeria offering a total of 14Tbps of bandwidth, there exists a huge potential in getting this available bandwidth accessible across the enter nation.
Now, we intend to take high speed internet bandwidth into every location and home in Nigeria accessible from all variations of devices over which we intend to deliver entertainment and educational content.
The process is such that will benefit individuals desiring to stream media; companies or contractors planning to install intelligent video surveillance and traffic system; telecommunication companies with the need to monitor their remote equipment; internet service providers looking to improve rural broadband connectivity, or an arm of government needing to set up temporary communications for projects, WaveTek’s Long haul, Super WiFi and Virtual fiber solutions will serve that purpose.
Some customers we have talked to are excited about it, because the process does not require doing away with your already existing facilities, rather you just have to upgrade. For instance a client operating with 200megabytes can upgrade its facility to 1.2gigabytes without even changing the radius.
That is going to be a key feature.
The long haul radius is such that runs 60 miles delivering large bandwidth. It takes connectivity to bring contents and applications to happen; which is the reason we must work towards making available facilities that will drive such sector.
We are coming with new ideas and techniques that existing technologies can ride on to achieve set objectives.
Nigerian Software Sector
I think once we start the ‘ICT explosion’, Nigerian software market will be better than what is happening in India.
Before now, the outside worlds were not aware of what is happening in the Nigerian entertainment industry; they never heard Psquare, Tuface, and others, but the local software developers have been able to bring this aspect of the country to the limelight.
The truth is that when one succeeds on a particular thing, others tend to say, ‘I can do that too’ you see them join. So what happens when one Nigerian software developer succeeds; he becomes the next Bill Gate, Steve Jobs, other will also join the trend.
The primary thing is for us to believe in them. Our young software developers have demonstrated this spirit in international competitions.
Leveraging on Microsoft Partnership
Microsoft is in my DNA, the company has added value to the Nigerian market and the ICT industry in particular.
We intend hype exchange and messaging platform with Microsoft’s plan that provides businesses with email, calendar, and contacts on the PC, phone & web, so employees can stay connected and in sync.
Microsoft’s SharePoint 2010 is also a solution that makes it easier for people and teams to work together, with significant costs savings on-premise and in the cloud and with the best productivity experience across PC, phone, and browser.
They also have the Dynamics; Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is apt in managing a company’s interactions with customers, clients, and sales prospects. It involves using technology to organize, automate, and synchronize business processes, principally sales activities, but also those for marketing, customer service, and technical support.
We are working assiduously to ensure Nigerians enjoy these services.
Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, governor, Anambra State, has approved an indefinite ban on graduation ceremonies in kindergarten, primary and secondary schools across the state as part of efforts to reduce the financial burden on parents.
Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, governor, Anambra State,
The directive was confirmed by Dr. Law Mefor, commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, in a statement issued on Friday.
According to the commissioner, the government deemed it necessary to clarify the policy following public inquiries and concerns over the scope of the ban.
Mefor explained that the directive applies to all graduation-related ceremonies in both public and private schools across the state.
He said the ban covers events described as graduation, passing-out, crossover or any other ceremony organised to mark the completion of kindergarten, primary or secondary school levels.
The government said the decision was taken to discourage unnecessary financial obligations often imposed on parents through elaborate school celebrations.
The commissioner clarified that students completing Senior Secondary School (SS3) are exempt from the directive.
However, he stressed that graduation ceremonies for SS3 students are not compulsory and may only be held without imposing any financial burden on students or their parents.
According to him, schools choosing to organise such ceremonies must ensure that no levies, compulsory contributions or hidden charges are demanded from parents.
Mefor warned that the state government would not hesitate to sanction any school that violates the directive.
He said schools found organising prohibited graduation ceremonies or imposing illegal charges on parents risk severe penalties, including possible closure.
The commissioner urged school proprietors and administrators to comply fully with the directive in the interest of parents and the education sector.
The state government said the policy is part of broader efforts to make education more affordable and eliminate unnecessary expenses associated with school activities.
Many parents have previously complained about the increasing costs of graduation ceremonies, including compulsory levies for gowns, entertainment, souvenirs and other related expenses.
The government expressed optimism that the directive would ease the financial pressure on families while encouraging schools to focus more on academic excellence than ceremonial activities.
General News
Universities, Polytechnics Submit 169 Entries for NASENI Research Commercialisation Grants
About 169 proposals from Nigerian institutions including universities, polytechnics, and research institutes spread across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones have entered for the NASENI Research Commercialization Grant Programme (NRCGP).
NASENI
The programme, an initiative of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), aimed at bridging the gap between research and industry, is designed to identify innovative research with strong commercial potential and support its transition from laboratories to the marketplace.
Speaking on the latest episode of the NASENI Window Podcast, recorded on yesterday at NASENI Studio, NASENI headquarters, Abuja, the Team Lead of the NRCGP and Deputy Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, Ms. Joy Elugbe, said the team received 169 proposals from eligible institutions across the country, including Universities, polytechnics and other research institutions.
Following the close of applications, and to ensure transparency and a rigorous selection process, NASENI engaged 21 professors with expertise across the Agency’s approved thematic areas to evaluate the originality and technical quality of the shortlisted proposals.
According to her, a rigorous preliminary screening reduced the number to 49 proposals after removing duplicate entries and submissions that failed to meet eligibility requirements while the Agency’s Innovation Hub assessed their commercial viability to determine their potential for market adoption.
“12 proposals, two from each geopolitical zone, have progressed to the due diligence stage before the final selection of six grant beneficiaries will be done. The objective is not simply to fund research but to invest in innovations that can successfully reach the market and deliver real impact,” Elugbe explained.
The NRCGP was conceived to address one of Nigeria’s longstanding innovation challenges which is the research breakthroughs that remain on the shelves due to inadequate funding.
She said the initiative, championed by the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, targets promising research proposals with the capacity to generate economic value, create jobs and contribute to Nigeria’s industrial development.
“The idea behind the programme is to identify innovative and commercially viable research outputs that have remained on the shelves because of lack of funding, and provide the support needed to transform them into products that can impact the economy,” she said.
Explaining the concept of commercialization, Elugbe described it as the process of transforming an invention, research outcome or service into a profitable product that meets market needs. The NRCGP aligns with NASENI’s strategic focus on Collaboration, Creation and Commercialization (3Cs), stressing that innovation only achieves its full value when it reaches end-users.
She disclosed that following the launch of the application portal, the Proposal Evaluation Team went on nationwide sensitization campaigns across the six geopolitical zones to educate prospective applicants on the programme requirements and application process.
The sensitization exercise, complemented by radio awareness campaigns, significantly improved participation and the quality of submissions.
She further revealed that NASENI’s support would extend beyond grant disbursement, noting that successful innovators would be linked with the Agency’s Innovation Hub for continuous technical guidance, market advisory services and commercialization support to ensure their products achieve sustainable market success.
The NASENI Research Commercialization Grant Programme was inaugurated in March 2025 to promote innovation, technological advancement and the commercialization of research outcomes in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
General News
NITRA Conference: Stakeholders Seek Policy Reforms, Grassroots Innovation to Bridge Nigeria’s Digital
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s information and communications technology (ICT) sector have called for comprehensive policy reforms, stronger infrastructure investment and grassroots innovation to bridge the country’s digital divide and improve global competitiveness.
NITRA Conference
The stakeholders made the call on Thursday during the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA) Innovative and Scientific Conference held at Citi Height Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
The conference, themed “Bridging Nigeria’s Digital Divide With Scientific Innovation,” brought together government agencies, technology experts, regulators, telecom operators, private sector players, academics and policymakers to examine strategies for accelerating digital inclusion through science and innovation.
A panel session titled “The Place of Policy and Infrastructure in Nigeria’s Quest for Global Competitiveness through Scientific Innovation: Roles of Different Stakeholders in Grassroots Mobilisation” examined the policy, infrastructure and human capital requirements for driving Nigeria’s digital transformation.
Panelists identified multiple taxation, high right-of-way (RoW) charges, inconsistent state government policies, poor electricity supply, inadequate digital infrastructure and limited grassroots innovation support as major impediments to expanding broadband access and improving Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global digital economy.
One of the speakers noted that transporting internet bandwidth from Lagos to Canada is cheaper than extending connectivity to some parts of Nigeria because of infrastructure bottlenecks and multiple charges imposed by sub-national governments.
According to the panelist, although some state governments claim to have abolished right-of-way charges, operators are still subjected to numerous levies under different names.
“When we talk about right-of-way limitation, it affects the cost of providing services in some states.
“Some states say right of way is free, but when they grant free right of way, they introduce development charges, education levies and infrastructure fees, making the so-called free right of way meaningless,” the panelist said.
The speaker called for harmonised national policies that would eliminate multiple taxation and reduce the cost of deploying telecommunications infrastructure across the country.
Another panelist representing telecommunications operators stressed that government policies should encourage fair competition rather than favour dominant market players.
According to the representative, improved collaboration between regulators and industry operators is necessary to ensure that policies support innovation, cybersecurity and sustainable sector growth.
Speaking on innovation development, a representative of a private sector innovation fund said Nigeria must begin identifying and nurturing innovators from an early age.
The representative said the organisation supports young innovators through essay competitions, grants and educational programmes aimed at exposing students to science, technology and entrepreneurship.
“We believe innovation begins from childhood.
“By helping children in primary and secondary schools think creatively, they become better positioned to seize opportunities as they grow.
“Innovators exist everywhere, including rural communities. What many of them need is exposure and opportunity,” the speaker said.
On cybersecurity, another panelist advocated greater investment in developing indigenous cybersecurity professionals through structured internship and mentorship programmes.
The panelist also suggested that young people involved in cybercrime should, where appropriate, be rehabilitated and equipped with legitimate digital skills rather than relying solely on imprisonment.
“Part of what we are known for is developing local talent.
“We recruit interns from schools and train them in cybersecurity.
“We should find ways to harness the abilities of young cyber offenders instead of simply sending them to prison,” the speaker said.
A representative from the computer society sector emphasised that Nigeria’s digital transformation should begin with reforms in basic education.
According to the representative, pupils should be introduced to coding, robotics, artificial intelligence and innovation at the primary school level.
“If Nigeria wants to become globally competitive, we must start from primary school.
“Our schools should not merely prepare students for examinations; they should become innovation clubs where children learn robotics, coding and problem-solving,” the panelist said.
The speaker also referenced the recent launch of an artificial intelligence university portal in Lagos designed to create a talent pipeline from primary education through tertiary institutions.
Addressing regulation, a media analyst cautioned against excessive government control that could discourage technological innovation.
According to the analyst, regulatory frameworks should emerge through stakeholder engagement and strike a balance between consumer protection and innovation.
“Regulation must come with dialogue.
“If regulation becomes excessive, it will stifle innovation.
“As Nigeria develops policies on artificial intelligence, there is a need to strike the right balance,” the analyst said.
On infrastructure protection, another panelist called for stronger public awareness campaigns to discourage vandalism of telecommunications infrastructure.
The speaker said community ownership and public education are essential to safeguarding digital infrastructure.
“When telecommunications infrastructure is vandalised, everyone suffers, including regulators, operators and consumers.
“People need to understand that protecting infrastructure benefits the entire society,” the panelist said.
Participants also highlighted the affordability of digital services as a major challenge to digital inclusion.
One speaker urged the Federal Government to consider subsidy mechanisms that could reduce the cost of internet-enabled devices.
“Telecommunications companies are businesses, not charity organisations.
“If government introduces subsidy policies similar to what has been done in other sectors, device prices can become more affordable,” the speaker said.
Another panelist stressed that reliable electricity remains fundamental to Nigeria’s digital competitiveness.
“The child who enjoys uninterrupted electricity and internet access cannot be compared with one who has gone months without power.
“For Nigeria to compete globally, every child should have reliable electricity, internet access and opportunities to acquire digital skills,” the speaker added.
Earlier, NITRA Chairman, Mr Chike Onwuegbuchi, said the conference was organised to provide a platform for stakeholders to examine policy options capable of strengthening scientific innovation and promoting grassroots technological development.
He noted that the Federal Government had demonstrated increasing commitment to building an innovation-driven economy through various strategic initiatives.
Founded in 2013, NITRA is the umbrella body of journalists covering Nigeria’s information and communications technology sector.
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